Researchers in a recent study asked men and women a question whether it is right to kill someone to prevent further deaths?

As per researchers, the answer differed depending on the gender. They found that women were less likely to commit murder because they have a stronger aversion to harmful action.

Researchers from US, Germany and Canada analyzed data collected from 6,100 people. A range moral questions including whether they would kill a young Adolf Hitler to stop the Second World War were asked to the participants.

Researchers found that women faced difficulties in making decision of killing someone, and were found to be more likely to let Hitler live.

According to the study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, the difference in female and male responses is caused by emotional aversion to killing among women.

In another situation, researchers asked participants to imagine a member of a group hiding from soldiers being handed a crying baby. Participants were asked whether they would smother the child to save the group or let it live and be caught.

Co-author Rebecca Friesdorf, a graduate student at Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada, said she analyzed 40 data sets from previous studies to produce her findings.

"Women seem to be more likely to have this negative, emotional, gut-level reaction to causing harm to people in the dilemmas, to the one person, whereas men were less likely to express this strong emotional reaction to harm", she said.

Researchers said women participants of the study were found more likely to be deontologists and agonized over their decisions. Men on the other hand were more likely to be utilitarian and were able to make a choice more quickly.

People who chose short-term harm for long-term gain are utilitarian. On the other hand individuals, who are unable to countenance breaking moral conventions, in order to secure a more favorable future outcome, are called deontologists.